I Just Discovered Crackle

May 29, 2014

On April 29, 2014 CTV announced it’s launch of CTV Extend, ‘a new digital hub’ on the network’s website that gives audiences access to brand new digital content. This basically means that CTV makes digital shows that are transmedia to their broadcast series such as The Listener, Arrow, and Saving Hope. The network also contracted original web series like Backpackers, Guidestones, and Space Riders. I’ve wanted to write something on CTV Extent for a while, and probably will in greater detail, because their ad-supported streaming site is a great business platform. In a way, CTV is adapting the traditional television model for the web. They already had this system in place for streaming recently aired episodes of their regular programming. Last Friday night I discovered Crackle had the same idea, only with a Netflix-like library, and they’ve been doing it much longer.

My dad inadvertently introduced me to Crackle while scrolling through some Steven Seagal movies on YouTube. Over the years Dad has familiarized me to some of the endearing white male action stars I’ve grown to love including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris, Bruce Willis, and of course Steven Seagal with his ponytail. After sitting through a horribly pixelated rendition of The Patriot (1998) on YouTube I suggested for Dad to switch to Netflix. He looked back into the gallery of apps on his Apple TV (my parents are decently tech savvy). About 30 minutes into Double Team (1997) I get bombarded by repeats of a 15 second Pringles ad. This isn’t Netflix. Finally, I notice the ‘Crackle’ watermark in the corner of the screen. I manage to tear my attention away from Van Damme’s amazing high kicks to do some quick Googling on my phone. Crackle is a free online video streaming service that offers movies, TV shows, and original series. Crackle also has a few YouTube channels including Crackle, Crackle Originals, and Crackle TV Minisodes. The interesting thing about Crackle is that it shows adverting at specific points during the movie or show’s runtime. A method that sounds exactly like CTV’s online player, something the network smartly expanded on with CTV Extend. But Crackle is best known for the incredibly famous original series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee from Jerry Seinfeld. The comedy web series is watched exclusively through Crackle, and it’s the site’s most successful digital series. According to an article from Variety, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee premieres its fourth season on June 19, 2014. Crackle has 17 original series along with Seinfeld’s show, including an interview series called Why It Crackles that covers new Hollywood releases. Why It Crackles is an excellent promotion tool to point new viewers towards its original series. CTV obviously doesn’t have the same access to Hollywood stars as Crackle. It will be interesting to see what tactics the network will use to draw in more viewers to CTV Extend, and further increase the value of it’s online ad space.